


It's Not Him

by methylene (Glommus)



Series: Thoughts after Pacific Rim: Uprising [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-23
Packaged: 2019-04-06 20:16:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14064729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glommus/pseuds/methylene
Summary: Hermann's trying to figure out a way to fix this, and Jake is just angry. Hermann needs him to know, needs everyone to know, that the man in that room is not Newton Geiszler.Warning: some spoilers for Pacific Rim: Uprising. This fic takes place after the events of the movie.





	It's Not Him

**Author's Note:**

> I'm just trying to collect my thoughts, to be honest. That movie was rough. Spoilers!  
> Not beta'd or anything. Just my own suffering.

Dr. Hermann Gottlieb had several practices he utilized when he was thinking. Among them were writing out his equations by hand, slowly drinking calming tea, rationalizing aloud, and pacing. Jake Pentecost shook his head, incredulous as he watched the esteemed Dr. Gottlieb murmur under his breath as he paced the hallway outside of Newton Gesizler's containment room.  
"Gottlieb. Gottlieb!" Jake called.  
Gottlieb paused, distractedly turning to catch Jake's eye. "Yes?"  
Jake moved so he and Gottlieb were facing one another. "What are you doing? You've got to stop this. Do you know what he did? Do you understand?"  
"Of course I know!" Gottlieb snapped, narrowing his eyes. "But I also know him. I know him!" Hermann exclaimed, before pointing to to doorway just behind them. "That, in there, isn't him." Hermann leaned back against the wall, scrubbing a hand over his eyes. "It must have been the brain. I should never have left, should have made sure it was properly disposed of-"  
"What are you talking about?" Jake hissed. "None of this would have ever happened, none of it, if not for him. What kind of sick bastard-"  
"You don't understand!" Hermann interrupted, using his cane to push away from the wall and limping over to Jake. "You don't understand. Has anyone ever told you how we managed to beat them in the first war? Actually told you?"  
Jake frowned, folding his arms. "Yeah. Geiszler drifted with a brain, right? And then Mako and Raleigh Becket and Chuck Hansen and my..." He trailed off, hoping Gottlieb wouldn't notice his hesitation.  
To Jake's relief, Gottlieb didn't seem to hear anything past the word 'brain'. "Yes, we drifted with a secondary one, but that's not important. And it was both of us, thank you very much. He couldn't handle it on his own, almost got himself killed trying." The last part was added as an afterthought, judging from the way Gottlieb's eyes were suddenly very far away.  
"Anyway. We drifted with a kaiju brain, and it was..." Gottlieb shuddered. "Awful. God-awful. I've never... never experienced anything like it since and if there is a God above I pray with my entire existence that I never will again," Gottlieb exhaled, bracing himself against his cane.  
Jake shifted, eyes narrowing. "Alright, yeah, that sucks. What does that have to do with how Geiszler ended up like this? I mean, he must've cared once, but-"  
"He cared. He cared more than anyone I've ever met. He gave up everything. All of us have, but with Newton..." Gottlieb squeezed his eyes shut. "The kaiju were his area of interest, scientifically, and... The tattoos. Everyone thought they were some symbol of worship or, or admiration but... but he was..." Gottlieb shifted his weight to his good leg, even as his expression became more distraught.  
Jake put a hand on his arm, concerned. "Hey doc, you alright? We can-"  
Gottlieb cut him off, inhaling deeply to regain his composure. "Quite alright. My point is, Newton was very devoted to his work. He didnt admire those monsters, he wanted to study them. We all did, before our entire K-Science division was cut to just the two of us.  
"It is difficult, as a scientist, to be faced with something entirely new and not wish to study it. Newton was one of the most qualified, brilliant biologists I had ever met before K-Day, much as he irritated me-" Gottlieb paused. "I'm rambling. But even as I was drawn to them, as was he. He simply... expressed his fascination differently.  
"I drifted with the man, Ranger Pentecost." Gottlieb stated firmly, eyes moving to meet Jake's from the spot on the wall over Jake's shoulder he'd been scrutinizing throughout his monologue. "He hated those creatures, hated what they were trying to do to humanity. We drifted with that, that monstrous... thing, together, because it was far too horrifying to endure alone. We experienced that hive mind firsthand, but it was still a drift. I could feel his rage as he attempted to comprehend the intentions of the Precursors, and let me tell you, Ranger Pentecost. Whatever is controlling that man in there, is not my best friend, because it is not possible. He is not physically capable of sympathizing with those... things."  
Jake leveled him with pitying glance. "I believe you, doc, I do, but if that's true then how did this happen in the first place?"  
"He must have tried to drift with it again, after I left Hong Kong. Alone. It is the only explanation there is. How he could he so incredibly stupid, or why-" Hermann squeezed his eyes closed, leaning heavily on his cane. "Why he didn't alert me, ask for my help, is beyond me. After knowing what it was like, what they are like..." He trailed off, a pained expression on his face. He met Jake's eyes firmly. "I can tell you with utmost certainty that whatever is in control of my friend in there is not Dr. Newton Geiszler."  
Gottlieb fell back against the wall, huffing out shallow, anxious breaths. Jake watched him from where he stood, trying to come up with a response to the influx of information.  
He settled for, "Okay, doc."  
Gottlieb raised his bowed head, eyes narrowing. "'Okay,' Ranger Pentecost?"  
Jake offered him a gentle smile. "It's Jake, Dr. Gottlieb. And yeah, okay. We're going to figure this out. There's got to be a way to get it out of him, yeah? If anyone can find it, you can."  
Gottlieb frowned. "I programmed Jaeger tech, not drift technology. I dont think that assumption is entirely accurate."  
"It is, though," Jake insisted. "You know the man. You know key points in his mind, you could maybe get through to him, yeah?"  
Gottlieb's eyes were suddenly glazed. "Yes, you may be right... during the onslaught, at Shao, he... he broke through. He told me he wasn't... strong enough." Gottlieb's voice cracked, face contorting into a wince. He inhaled sharply and composed his features. "I need to make a call to Dr. Lightcap. And Jake," He smiled ever so slightly, resting a hand on Jake's shoulder. "Thank you."  
Jake grinned as Gottlieb turned and proceeded down the hall, purpose in his step.   
"Go get 'em, doc."

 

Newton Geiszler was still in there.  
Hermann knew it, knew it as surely as he knew his own programming. One way or another, he was going to get his best friend back.


End file.
